KRAUTHAMMER: If Gov Walker Caves To The Unions His Career Is DONE

Since the battle over the unions in Wisconsin began, Bill O'Reilly has been taking a mostly centrist position, stating his support for unions and urging Governor Scott Walker to compromise with the unions, if only to stop the craziness that had been going on in Madison the last two weeks.

"I said that all this week that Governor Walker should compromise on this issue to get it done by saying to the union workers, 'Listen, we'll protect you through state law, but we can't allow your union to run roughshod over our fiscal situation there.' That is a compromise. If you are a federal worker you are protected through the law but not through the union. So certainly they could do that in Wisconsin, right?"

Charles Krauthammer, appearing on O'Reilly's show last night, took a much more hardline position, telling O'Reilly that Walker should not compromise since the unions see benefits just by working for the government.

"I don't know why it would be compromise, because Wisconsin historically has had very strong civil service protections. In fact that is part of the deal. You go to work for the government you have the kinds of protections a private sector worker doesn't and the compromise is you might get less in wages but you are protected."

When asked how he thought the situation would play out, Krauthammer said Governor Walker must stand his ground for his own sake or the Governor, who was considered to be a rising star in the Republican party, will see his career effectively end only a few months into his first term.

"I do know one thing, if the governor of Wisconsin and the Republicans cave on this, it will be a historic cave. Walker's career is done, his power as Governor as done. He's only been in office a few months. He may not have thought this was going to be the great issue of his term. He may not have foreseen that it was going to be national or become epic but it is. And he is in the moment."